Phlox plant named ‘Duephocher’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Duephocher’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and large dark red-colored flowers with dark purple-colored centers.

Botanical designation: Phlox drummondii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEPHOCHER’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox drummondii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duephocher’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Phlox plants with unique and attractive flower color.

The new Phlox plant originated from an open-pollination in Rheinberg, Germany in July, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Phlox drummondii identified as code number PH-05-0108-002, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Phlox drummondii as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox plant have not been observed under all possible environmental and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duephocher’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duephocher’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large dark red-colored flowers with dark purple-colored         centers.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely branching than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the Phlox ‘PowerPhlox Magenta’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘PowerPhlox Magenta’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox were more compact and had shorter         internodes than plants of ‘PowerPhlox Magenta’.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘PowerPhlox Magenta’.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘PowerPhlox Magenta’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘PowerPhlox Magenta’ had red         purple-colored flowers.     -   4. Plants of the new Phlox had shorter peduncles than plants of         ‘PowerPhlox Magenta’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox plant.

The photograph is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duephocher’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under commercial practice. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox drummondii ‘Duephocher’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             drummondii identified as code number PH-05-0108-002, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Phlox             drummondii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures or about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About four weeks at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and outwardly             spreading plant habit; broad inverted triangle; low to             moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit             with about five main laterals developing each with numerous             secondary laterals; relatively short internodes; dense and             bushy plant habit.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 21 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 145A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2 cm.         -   Width.—About 5 mm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Truncate to obtuse.         -   Margin.—Finely serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             puberscence along the margins.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 144A; venation, close to 144C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C; venation,             close to 144D.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144C. Color, lower surface: Close to 144D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single rotate and salverform flowers             arranged in small panicles with about three flowers each;             flowers face mostly upright; freely flowering habit with             about 80 flower buds and flowers developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; sweet, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from summer             to late summer in Germany; plants begin flowering about six             weeks after planting.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about three to four             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Narrowly obovate. Color: Close to 83A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower depth (tube length).—About 1 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl; petals             fused at the base into a narrow tube. Length: About 2.2 cm.             Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Rounded.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded petals, upper             surface: Close to 53A; towards the base, close to 79A; color             becoming closer to 79A with development; throat, close to             158D. Developing and fully expanded petals, lower surface:             Close to 64A; color becoming closer to 79A with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement per flower: Five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base into a slender tube. Length:             About 6 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Narrowly apiculate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, Puberscent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Angle: Upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 145A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 30° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to             157B. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 1.5 mm.             Anther color: Close to 14A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 14A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma             color: Close to 6B. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color:             Close to 149C. Ovary color: Close to 149A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have not been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Duephocher’ as illustrated and described. 